1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to tanks used as aquariums, terrariums and the like and more particularly to such tanks especially designed to fit in a corner of a room and produce an optical illusion of increased volume.
2. Background Information
Aquariums for displaying fish are today commonly found in homes, schools and other locations. The traditional aquarium consists of four panes of clear glass set at 90.degree. angles with a suitable rectangularly-shaped member employed to close the bottom of the tank. A rectangularly-shaped hood is generally used with such tanks. The hood provides a vapor barrier and may also support tank illumination means, a lid for providing access to the interior of the tank and a utility area for connecting heaters, filters, etc. within the tank.
Although the traditional rectangularly-shaped aquarium provides an intriguing miniature replica of underwater environment, it is not well suited for use in the corner of a room from either an aesthetic or efficient utilization of space viewpoint. Furthermore, if so located, it would require viewing through a distortion introducing corner of the tank from some perspectives in the room.
Tanks of other configuration have been suggested in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,696,789, 4,126,102 and 4,147,131 describe aquariums of triangular cross section. In each instance, the front and side members of the tank are transparent, and it would appear that this condition is necessary to accomplish the objective of each of the patented tanks. None of these earlier aquariums is specifically directed to the problem of efficiently utilizing room corner space and if so located, would inherently appear as a tank of limited volume, especially when compared to the traditional rectangular tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,879,742 depicts an aquarium of semicylindrical shape having a rear reflective wall. This patent is directed to an "Aquarium With Habitat Effect" and which "produces an appearance that the tank contained body of water extends without limit into the distance away from the eyes of the observer such as the appearance which characterizes a natural underwater scene when viewed from under the surface of the water." (Column 2, lines 6-10). This effect is apparently at least partially produced by a "deepening obscurity of the tank contents at receding distances from the transparent front wall." (Column 4, lines 31-32, also see FIG. 6 and the description thereof). The patent indicates that the rear reflecting wall although preferably cylindrical in shape can have other surface curvatures or be approximated by a multiplicity of flat mirror surfaces. (See Column 4, lines 14-22). However, this patent, like those discussed above, is not concerned with the efficient utilization of corner space and, moreover, as stated in a later improvement patent by the same patentee "unduly distorts the reflected images of objects present in the tank. The distortion is particularly evident with respect to moving objects such as fish, to the point of discomforture to the eyes of the viewer." (U.S. Pat. No. 3,644,301 Column 1, lines 19-24). The patentee overcomes these problems by reducing the distance between the center of his rear curved reflector and his front transparent panel.
A need thus persists for a tank adapted for use in a corner of a room which provides the appearance of volume equivalent to that of the traditional aquarium without significantly distorting the images of the contents of the tank.